Update: Disney star who killed himself left behind a suicide note on bloody car seat

Disney star Michael Mantenuto, arguably best-known for his role in the hockey-themed movie, Miracles, committed suicide on on April 24. Recently-revealed evidence showed that he left behind a suicide note and several other items in his car.

Authorities found Mantenuto, 35, inside his vehicle in a remote area of Des Moines, Washington, with a single gunshot to his head and “blood on his mouth.” An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as suicide. Daily Mailreports that Mantenuto left behind a three-line suicide note that police found on the blood-spattered front seat of his car. For “operational reasons,” investigators decided to keep the details of the note private.

[Photo: Des Moines PD]Inside the vehicle, authorities also found a black Glock 23 pistol, a multi-colored baseball cap, spare ammunition, a pack of bottled water, the suicide note, and a backpack. Detectives found a blue mountain bike in the trunk.

[Photo: Des Moines PD]Mantenuto joined the military in 2010, after his acting career plummeted. He was a Special Forces soldier, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. His wife, Kati Vienneau, and their two children Ava and Leo, lived with Mantenuto in Washington, but returned home to Massachusetts after his death.

In 2016, Mantenuto deployed to Iraq as a part of the Operation Inherent Resolve team. When he returned home, he worked with the K-9 unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

[Photo: Des Moines PD]Reportedly, Mantenuto suffered from depression for years. In May 2015, he checked into the Cedar Hills hospital in Portland, Oregon. The hospital has a special floor reserved for people in the military who mental health problems. According to Wendy Wilson-Heid, 53, of Yelm, Washington, who met the actor at the hospital, Mantenuto became extremely popular among other patients during his stay.

“It [the clinic] treats anything – drugs, alcohol. I went there for depression. [Mantenuto] battled all kinds of things. I think he was depression [sic] he dealt with a lot of stuff.”

For reasons unknown, Mantenuto transferred out of the K-9 unit at work, a position friends said he truly loved. Around two weeks later, he shot himself.